Necktie stretcher



June 28, 1932. w. H. WILSON NEGKTIE STRETCHER Filed Nov. 15. 1929 Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. WILSON, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS I NEcxTIE s'rnnrcnna Application filed November 175, 192.9.l Serial No. 407,420.

The adapte resent invention relates to devices to be inserted 1n the ends of neckties or other articles and stretch the fabric a device of this kind that shall be simple and compact, capable of being easily applied and removed, and eective inoperation.k

In carrying out my inventionI employ a 19 form which, after being inserted in the article to be stretched or held, may readily be adjusted to fit the contour of the article and hold it taut under any desired tension. This I accomplish by bending a member in the 1 5 form of a stiff wire or a small rod or bar into a rudimentary shape and connecting the ends of such member together bymeans of a toggle device. When the toggle is straightened it spreads the form until it fills the article 20 embracing it, the degree of tension to which the article is subjected being determined by the extent to which the toggle is straightened.

By providing a suitable locking device for the toggle, the article may be maintained in l its taut condition as long as desired. When the lock is released the form may be partially collapsed by means of the toggle, so that the form may be withdrawn from the work. In the case of a necltie holder and stretcher there may be two forms, one for each end of a tie, both forms being connectedto the same toggle.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claim; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference maybe had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

YFigure l is a rear elevation of a device embodying my invention, shown collapsed in full lines and expanded in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is an end view, on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is a view, on a still larger scale,'partly in section, showing the manner of attaching the ends of the wires to the toggle; and Fig. .4 is a section on linea-4' of Fig. 3.

In the drawing I have illustrated my device as adapted for use in connection with so-called four-in-hand neclrties. and the decned orpartiallly straightened until the fabtailed description will be confined to this particular embodiment; although it will of course be understood that the eXpansible form or forms may take any desired shape to adapt the device to other articles.

Referringto the drawing, l and 2 represent two forms of wire, small lrods, bars or strips or other long bendable, and preferably resilient, members, to which I shall refer` as wire-like members,V bent int-o the shape vof o0 long narrow Vs; the member I being longer andwider, at least at the base, than the member 2. The legs'of each form are hinged to the two arms or levers of a toggle; the memberl being conveniently connected to the two 5 endsof the toggle and the member 2 to the arms of the toggle at points between the ends and the toggle joint. Vhen the toggle is collapsed, the legs of the forms are drawn towardV each other and, when the toggle is 1 straightened the legs are spread apart.

In lusing the device,the forms arefcontracted or collapsed as shown in full lines in Fig. l the ends of a necktie are slipped over the forms; and the toggle is then' straightric of the tie is drawn taut. Since neclrties differ in width, the toggle will not always be straight when the desired degree of taut'ness of the necktie fabric has been produced and, so

therefore, I provide'mea'ns for locking the toggle with its arms or levers jon 'any desired angular relation to each other'.

vThestructural details ofthe toggle and "the connections between the same and the 8'5 forms may of co'urse'be widely varied. 'In

the preferred arrangement shown, eachl arm 'or lever offthe toggle is composed of two spaced parallel bars, as indicated at 3, 3 and 4, 4e, the two bars of one pair overlapping .o the kbars of the other pair at their meeting ends. A screw`5 passes through the overlapping ends of the bars and is provided withV a wing nut 6. When the nut is loosened the Y toggle may be straightened or collapsed and, when the nut is tightened, the arms of the toggle are locked against relative movement. For the purpose of fastening the forms'to the toggle, each leg has at its end an eye 7, conveniently formed by bending the wire-like member. These eyes lie in the spaces between the bars of the toggle and are engaged by pintles 8 passing through the same from one bar to the opposite bar. These pintles may be of any desired kind, conveniently tubular sheet metal rivets, as shown.

In order to make it easier to apply the necktie to the forms I prefer that the latter be located in planes spaced apart from each w other. This may conveniently be accomplished by making a double bend in each of the legs of one of the forms, near the toggle, thereby offsetting this form from the other. In the arrangement shown, it is the smaller ,5 form 2 which is oiset, each of its legs being bent laterally at right angles to the plane 4of the form at a point near the toggle, as indicated at- 9, and then back parallel with said plane as indicated at l0.

20 It will thus be seen that I have produced an extremely simple device which automatically adjusts itsel'l to articles oi' various sizes, so that no skill is required to apply it and secure and maintain the desired tension in :25 any given article; which takes up but little room, so that one or more may be kept in a bureau or dresser drawer; and which may be'used as a hanger to hold the necktie or other article suspended and permit it to dry 30 quickly, if it has been dampened to facilitate the removal of wrinkles.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be u limitedto the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the deinitions ofmy invention constitut ing the appended claim.

A device of the character described comgrising two V-shaped members, a toggle, a inge'connection between one leg of each V and'one of the arms of the toggle, and 21 5 hinge connection between the other leg of each V `and the remaining arm of the toggle, the hinge connections between each member and the toggle being equally spaced from the 'oint in the toggle, and the hinge connections 59 etween one of said members and the toggle lbeing nearer the said joint than are the other hinge connections.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification. 55 Y WILLIAM H. VVILSON.. 

